1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a packaging system which is provided with a body wrapping mechanism for wrapping a sheet material around the body of an article.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to package a cylindrical article, there has been used a packaging system with a body wrapping mechanism. In Japanese Pat. Publication No. 53(1978)-3698, there is disclosed a packaging system in which three body wrapping mechanisms (with an end folding mechanism) are mounted on a turret which is intermittently rotated 60.degree. by 60.degree., and supply of articles to be packaged, belt wrapping, body wrapping, end folding, belt wrapping release and discharge of the article are performed at respective stations while the turret is stopped.
The packaging system is disadvantageous in that since the aforesaid operations are performed while the turret is stopped, the cycle of the intermittent rotation of the turret is governed by the time required for the body wrapping operation which requires a relatively long time, and accordingly, the tact time cannot be made shorter than a certain time. Further, in the system where the operations are performed at the respective stations while the turret is stopped, the number of stations cannot be smaller than a certain value, which limits miniaturization of the packaging system. For example, even if the article supply operation and the belt wrapping operation are performed at one station, and the belt wrapping release operation and the article discharge operation are performed at one station, there are required at least three stations.